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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: staff · rash · cue · degree · mug · pass · mark · club

  1. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. degree — an amount
  3. mug — a face
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. cue — a hint
  6. degree — temperature
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. club — for golf
  9. mug — to rob
  10. mark — a trace
  11. club — for dancing
  12. rash — a series
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. mark — a grade
  15. club — a group
  16. staff — employees
  17. rash — hasty
  18. staff — employees
  19. degree — from a university
  20. pass — a permit
  21. staff — a stick
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. cue — for pool
  24. mug — a cup

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com